What is Inflation Risk? Inflation Risk aka. "Purchasing Power Risk" is the risk due to "a decrease in purchasing power of assets or cash flow" due to inflation. A typical example would be a bond that generates a fixed rate of return. For instance, suppose this bond is worth $1000 and generates a 5% yield i.e. $50. Suppose when you purchase the bond that $50 will buy two tanks of gas for your car. Over time inflation will reduce the purchasing power of that $50 so it only buys one tank of gas. If you are counting on using the proceeds of the bond to buy gas there is an "inflation risk" that eventually you will not be covered. The worst-case example of inflation risk is if a country … [Read more...]
Hyperinflation: 5 Currencies that Self-Destructed
Over the years we have discussed Hyperinflation a number of times. We've explained that, "Hyperinflation is an extremely rapid period of inflation, usually caused by a rapid increase in the money supply. Usually due to unrestrained printing of fiat currency." Hyperinflation has been recorded as far back as Egypt 276 AD and is usually caused due to some sort of government mismanagement issue. Typically hyperinflation gets progressively worse until the curve goes hyperbolic and then something happens to end the progression. See What is Hyperinflation? for more information. Recently Commodity.com produced an Infographic of 5 currencies that were hit by hyperinflation so with their … [Read more...]
Zimbabwe Hyperinflation and the U.S. Dollar
The (Zimbabwean) Dollar - The Point of No Return By John Lee, CFA Last week, Zimbabwe slashed 12 zeros from its currency as hyperinflation continued to erode its value, the country's central bank announced in late January. The government instituted price cuts to arrest inflation. As time went by, it became apparent the forced price cuts cause bare shelves in shops and many businesses to close. "Even in the face of current economic and political challenges confronting the economy, the Zimbabwe dollar ought to and must remain the nation's currency, so as to safeguard our national identity and sovereignty... Our national currency is a fundamental economic pillar of our sovereignty," … [Read more...]
Zimbabwean Hyperinflation Officially Estimated At 2.2 Million Percent
This is a textbook case of how to create hyperinflation by thinking you can print all the money you want. It is interesting to note that Mugabe blames Britain for trying to undermine his regime when in fact while under British control, Zimbabwe was Africa's second richest country (behind South Africa). But under Mugabe's reign Zimbabwe has become a basket case due primarily to misguided economic policy. Several years ago Mugabe nationalized the large farms and took control from productive farmers and gave control to his cronies (who knew nothing about farming) and then he wondered why farm production fell. Duh? Now inflation is increasing so fast his central statistical office can't keep … [Read more...]